Lethbridge School Division. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge School Division announces plans for 2021/22 school year

Jun 24, 2021 | 10:59 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – As one school year comes to a close, administrators are hard at work planning for the year to come.

Lethbridge School Division Superintendent Cheryl Gilmore says she knows schooling during the pandemic has been tough on students, staff, parents, and guardians, but she is optimistic that September will bring about a school year that is much closer to normal.

“Although we cannot determine with absolute certainty what the situation will be with COVID-19 at the end of August, we are hopeful that the pattern that is predicted by government and health services is where we find ourselves. I have been meeting with school principals over the last month with the goal of determining what school start-up will look like this fall.”

The full letter to parents can be read here.

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Students in high and middle schools can look forward to a regular class schedule in 2021/22 and moving away from the cohort system that has been in place during the pandemic.

The start of classes will be staggered with some students beginning on August 31 and others on September 1. Individual schools will announce their plans in this regard.

A phased plan for extra-curricular activities was approved at this week’s board meeting that comes into effect in mid-August. You can access the Phase-in Plan here.

Schools will continue to enforce hygiene and sanitization stations. Whether or not masks will be a requirement will depend on local and provincial regulations.

Elementary Schools:

The school division is approaching elementary schools more cautiously because fewer people under the age of 12 have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

The start of classes will be staggered in the following way:

• Tuesday, August 31 (the first day of school), all elementary students whose last names begin with the letters A-M will come to school for the full school day
• Wednesday, September 1, all elementary students whose last names begin with the letters N-Z will come to school for the full school day
• On Thursday, September 2, all students will come to school

It is anticipated that students will be able to enjoy physical education, music, and other activities, but large group gatherings such as assemblies will be avoided at the beginning of the year.

A phased plan for extra-curricular activities was approved at this week’s board meeting that comes into effect in mid-August. You can access the Phase-in Plan here.

Schools will continue to enforce hygiene and sanitization stations. Whether or not masks will be a requirement will depend on local and provincial regulations.